


Double Trouble

by teddiebare



Category: GHOST - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 08:12:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14950931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teddiebare/pseuds/teddiebare
Summary: When two identical twins switch places, love and loss abound.  Which will triumph?





	Double Trouble

“Oh,” the waiter exclaimed! “But you’re…”  
The two women looked at him a moment, small smiles playing around their identically sensuous lips.  
“We’re…?” Natalia questioned the nonplussed waiter, amusedly.  
“What?” Shallee continued, equally playfully at their flustered waiter  
Their waiter grinned sheepishly. “You’re so beautiful! I-I mean, you’re identical. I mean,” he continued, tripping over his words, “but you’re beautiful, too,” he finished, blushing and embarrassed. There goes my tip, he thought.  
Both women laughed, a tinkling in his ears, and he looked up to see affection in their gazes, realizing he’d not offended but amused.  
Natalia and Shallee were identical twins. Identical in every way, physically. About 5 feet tall with slender but curvy builds, both women were strikingly beautiful with delicate features and deep green eyes that penetrated the soul. Both wore their hair long and straight down their backs – a no-nonsense style that never went out of fashion. Despite their delicate features and diminutive proportions, they caught the eye of most passersby; particularly when they were together – two mirror images. And their waiter was no exception.  
As they waited for their cute, but flustered waiter, to take their orders and leave, Natalia asked again, “So what do you think?” Her eyes, mischievous, were dancing with the possibilities.  
“I don’t know…” Shallee answered, unsure. “What would I do or say with Martin?”  
Martin, Natalia’s husband, a rocker who spent a lot of time on the road and in the studio, was Shallee’s brother-in-law. And though she thought the world of him, she knew her sister and her husband were having problems. Not the best situation for the proposition her sister had in mind.  
“What do you mean,” Natalia answered? “I told you. We barely speak. We sleep in separate beds. It’s not an issue.”  
But Shallee WAS concerned. Her twin, her beloved identical sister, Natalia, her soulmate and the one she knew better than anyone was having marital issues. Her husband Martin – the sexy rocker and once the beat of her heart and her soul – was not much a part of Natalia’s life anymore. They rarely spoke and slept in separate beds, largely due to his odd hours and not wanting to disturb her sleep. Natalia worked for temp agencies and usually worked the traditional 9-5 jobs. But they also didn’t communicate. The last time they made love was over a month ago. Imagine! Shallee couldn’t imagine not making love with the man she loved regularly. Yet her sister had not touched her sweet husband in over a month!  
Shallee remained doubtful to her sister’s suggestion.  
Natalia, bored with life and with her marriage wanted to switch places. Clandestinely. Telling no one. And Shallee couldn’t quite imagine how that would work out well.  
“Look,” Natalia continued. “I know you love your life. You can’t imagine changing it.” Natalia raised her lovely eyebrows a fraction, gauging her twin’s reaction. “But you’re doing everything you ever wanted,” she exclaimed in frustration! “And I’m not! I’m married to this rockstar who has no time for me. I work a temp job doing secretarial work. Where’s the ambition – the fun – in that,” she finished in frustration!!!  
Shallee’s heart sank. Her sister’s frustration and dissatisfaction were palpable. She didn’t entirely understand it – she would give anything to have a husband like Martin Persner. Rocker, but so sweet, so sexy! And such a perfect husband! But apparently not, according to her sister.  
Shallee was a well-publicized romance writer with a large fan base. She made very good money and moved in prominent celebrity circles. At least when she wanted. Which was almost never. Shallee, ever the recluse, only cared about her writing. She didn’t care about the money or the fringe benefits. She loved her fans because they loved her and she understood them. The money was good, but she didn’t really care. As long as she had a roof over her head and electricity to power her laptop to write – well, that’s all that mattered to Shallee. But Natalia seemed to have other ideas, viewing her twin sister through eyes of jealousy and complete misunderstanding. How had it gotten to this?  
But Shallee loved Natalia more than anyone on earth. She was her twin, her soulmate. She would do anything, ANYTHING for her. Even this crazy thing she wanted.  
“But what if…”, Shallee ventured tentatively.  
“What if,” Natalia finished? “He wants to make love?”  
“Yes,” Shallee finished apprehensively.  
“He won’t”, Natalia answered with forceful finality. “Believe me, he has no desire for me anymore. We haven’t made love in over a month!” The bitterness was palpable in Natalia’s response and made Shallee so sad, so very sad. Because she knew how in love they had been. How much the perfect couple they had been. How had it changed so drastically without Shallee’s knowing? Had her sister been keeping secrets? It seemed like only yesterday when she had been laughing with the two of them, watching the look in their eyes as they gazed at each other, envying the love she saw there. Longing for something like what they had for herself. Even a little jealous.  
“But what about your work?” Shallee questioned, hoping for one last thing that might dissuade her twin from continuing on this course of lunacy “I don’t know anything about being an executive assistant!”  
“I’ll call in and tell them I’m on sabbatical for a month or so. No worries,” Natalia answered matter-of-factly.  
Shallee had no other excuses. But she did not want to do this! She did not want to pretend to be her sister while her sister pretended to be her!! She wasn’t worried about Natalia’s place in her life – her life was touched by very few and Natalia would not impact much. But Shallee in Natalia’s life – wife and homemaker, and temporary executive assistant? How would THAT work??? Shallee was very apprehensive of it and did not want to make this switch. She was terrified of the impact SHE might make on her sister’s life!  
But Natalia was adamant and desperate! She NEEDED this so bad! She needed an out for a while. She needed to pretend she was someone else. How could Shallee deny her sweet twin what she seemed to so desperately need?  
So she agreed. They would make the switch. For 30 days. And then they would meet at the same place and switch back.

Shallee jumped as she heard a car door slam outside! It was just after midnight and she was up later than she had intended, watching videos of Martin on YouTube, intrigued and enraptured by his talent and beauty.  
She jumped and made a dash for the bedroom, forgetting to turn off the TV and computer as she desperately tried to avoid a confrontation with her sister’s husband.  
But she wasn’t fast enough. The front door opened and Martin came in, looking tired. He looked up as he closed the front door, surprised to see his “wife” up when he came home. Shallee noticed the tentative smile of pleasure that crossed his face before the look of apprehension took over.  
What was happening between her sister and her husband, Shallee wondered?  
“Hey,” Martin said tentatively, coming slowly into the foyer, a look of tentative pleasure on his sweet face.  
“Hey,” Shallee said tiredly, stretching a little, feigning sleepiness as though she had been asleep and was heading to bed to continue her slumber.  
Martin stopped a moment, looking lovingly at his “wife”. Shallee noticed the look of longing in his eyes for a brief moment before his guard came up and he walked past her into the living room.  
He stopped short when he entered the living room and saw what was on the television.  
Heart sinking, Shallee realized she hadn’t shut off the YouTube video of Martin’s band she had been watching before she had tried to dash, unseen, for her bedroom  
Turning to Shallee, Martin had a look of utter bafflement on his face for a moment. Why was she watching his videos? He couldn’t remember the last time she had cared about his music, much less his videos. His heart sped up a little bit as he considered the possibility that maybe he wife cared a little more than she had been letting on lately. That maybe she still loved him and wanted to be a part of his life and his dreams, like she once had.  
Seeing naked alarm on his “wife’s” face, however, he realized he had caught her in an unguarded moment. A moment she was reluctant to share with him. Deciding to not make more of it than she was willing to, he turned away from the television nonchalantly, but with hope in his heart.  
“You’re up late. No assignment tomorrow?” he ventured causally.  
Seeing the look of longing on his face broke Shallee’s heart. She had watched him closely as he had observed what was on the television. How long had it been since her sister and her husband had talked about their lives and their dreams? The hope in his eyes, however brief, told her that it had been a long time since they had shared their hearts with one another.  
Coming back into the present, Shallee said, “They don’t have anything on the books just yet.” She didn’t tell him that “Natalia” had called ahead to let them know she wouldn’t be available for another 30 days or so.  
Smiling slightly, Martin reached for the remote and turned off the television. “Well, I guess I’ll see you in the morning then.” He smiled distantly and went to the liquor cabinet, getting out the shot glass and reaching for the bottle of his favorite bourbon.  
Shallee watched him sadly for a moment, wanting so much to go to him. She wanted to make a drink for him and let him talk about his work day, share with her what it was like in the recording studio with his colleagues. She sensed his need to talk about his work with someone. With anyone willing to listen and understand. That need was so palpable, she could feel it permeate, flow over her. She paused, not moving.  
Martin poured a shot and downed it quickly, leaning over the bar a moment as the liquor made its warm way down his throat into his stomach, spreading its warmth through his system. He looked up, sensing Shallee’s presence behind him. Turning, he looked at her questioningly, eyebrows raised in question.  
Slightly startled, Shallee smiled at him and said, “Well, goodnight. See you in the morning.”  
Seeing the brief flash of disappointment on Martin’s face, Shallee quickly fled to the bedroom her sister now occupied at night. The bedroom away from her husband. The bed she slept in alone, away from her love. Alone. So alone. And she wondered. She wondered about the heart of the twin she thought she knew so well.

Martin watched his wife as she went to her room. He had seen the brief longing in her eyes. The love there that he hadn’t seen in a long while. He missed her so much. There had been a time when she would stay up and wait for him to come home, just so she could hear about his day and offer encouragement or just a listening ear as he told her about the quirky things his bandmates did or said or the dumbass things the producers would say and do. She had laughed with him and berated with him. Had made him feel like he had a kindred spirit that understood how he felt, how he thought, what motivated him. But in the past six months or so, she had gotten so distant, so uninvolved. It hurt so much. He still loved her so much.  
But he just watched her walk slowly down the hall to her room.

Shallee’s heart hammered as she made her way down the hall to her room away from Martin, realizing that not only had her sister kept much from her. She had kept much from her sister. Her feelings for Martin went beyond that of a sister-in-law. She was in love with her sister’s husband and had been all along!  
And her sister had put her into a most untenable situation!

The next morning, Shalee was sleeping late, unwilling and unable to get up and face the day. Face Martin. His beautiful blue eyes kept flashing before her eyes. The hurt and the longing she had seen there. And the overwhelming need she felt to take that hurt from his eyes and fulfill the longing she saw there. Her entire body was alive with need for him and it terrified her! This was her sister’s husband! No matter what was happening between them, she couldn’t allow her feelings and need to overwhelm her! She could not allow herself to meddle in their future! No matter what it held. But it was so hard! She wanted to go to him, to hold him, to let him know she loved him and everything about him mattered to her!  
But she was here for only 30 days. She couldn’t respond to him in any way. If she did and her sister didn’t continue that response, it would hurt him, crush him! Goddamn Natalia for putting her in this position!  
So she burrowed deeper in the plush down comforter of her lonely bed, unwilling to get up and face Martin.  
But the day seeped through and she heard the incessant ringing of the house phone, and the sound of Martin’s low voice as he answered.  
“She’s still asleep Shallee,” she heard Martin saying, bringing her up out of her depression and slumber, alert. Natalia! She glanced at her cell phone on the night table and saw that she had missed a call and a text from her sister.  
Shallee threw off the covers, grabbing her robe and sliding into her slippers, heading to the door. She stopped short as she heard Martin chuckle slightly, a sound of affection in that chuckle.  
“Okay, I will,” he finished affectionately. “I love you too,” he finished. “I’ll have her call you when she gets up.” Shallee heard a moment of silence. Then, “I love you, too,” again. “Bye.”  
A feeling of jealousy stabbed through her for a moment. Then she realized how absurd that was! He thought he was talking to HER! To his sister-in-law. He didn’t know. But what exactly didn’t he know, she wondered? That his sister-in-law was pretending to be his wife. That his sister-in-law was, in fact, in love with him? Did Natalia know? Did Natalia still even love Martin?  
Shallee was so fucking confused! She loved Natalia more than any other person on earth! But her beloved twin was keeping secrets! She had made it sound like her and Martin were drifting apart and had nothing in common anymore. That there was no love or passion anymore. But Shallee had seen the longing and passion in Martin’s eyes the previous night. Had felt the passion and longing that radiated off of him as he had observed her inner turmoil. Had sensed the hurt and disappointment as she had turned from him and went to her room. So who was turning from whom in this marriage?  
And who was she to meddle? Her loyalty was to her sister, her twin. Not to her twin’s husband. But…  
Shallee made her way downstairs, steeling herself against the feelings that were tearing at her – the love for her sister and the love for her sister’s husband.  
As she entered the kitchen archway, she stopped, observing Martin as he poured water into the coffee maker, making coffee for her, apparently having heard her stirring upstairs as she made her way downstairs.  
Watching with her heart in her eyes, she observed him putting fresh grinds in the filter and pouring the water in, flipping the switch to start a fresh brew. She watched, frozen in place as she observed her sister’s husband. He was so handsome! About 6’ and stocky, he was like a teddy bear you long to hug and squeeze. Yet he exuded intense sexuality with the curves of his body, his stance, his aura. You were compelled to hug and squeeze. And more! He seemed so shy, yet his intense blue eyes burned into you, making you feel caressed, fondled gently and lovingly, yet with intense and ardent passion! She felt shaky at the prospect of that gaze! The way a lock of his sandy colored hair fell over his forehead casually was incredibly sexy! How had she not noticed it before? But then again, she had only gazed at him as his sister-in-law; not as his wife and lover.  
She stood frozen to the spot, watching him as he finished putting on coffee for her. He seemed to sense her presence and turned slightly, catching her in his peripheral vision.  
Her breath caught as he turned his full gaze upon her. And she saw the naked love in his eyes for her!  
Her heart skipped a beat, wanting to run to him and bury herself in his strong arms! But she knew that look was not for her. It was for her sister! He didn’t love her! And for the first time in her life, she nearly hated her twin for putting her in this situation!  
Gathering her composure, Shallee said, “Good morning,” and walked into the kitchen, reaching into the cabinet for a coffee cup.  
Martin arched his brows, holding out a cup for her. “I got it,” he said, looking at her curiously.  
Shallee realized she’d messed up. Obviously she had a regular cup she used each morning and Martin already had it out.  
She smiled and took the mug, setting it down, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. She could feel Martin watching her and it took everything she had to not look at him in return.  
Martin watched her curiously. She was acting strange. In some ways, she was like she used to be when they were first married. In other ways, indifferent, like usual. But nervous. Almost like she didn’t know how to act. Like she was uncomfortable in her own skin. He loved her so much, but he was damned aggravated with her! She wouldn’t let him touch her. She wouldn’t talk to him! He didn’t know what the fuck her problem was! Did she still love him? Did she still even want him? He sometimes wondered if she was having an affair. She had accused him of it plenty of times. But he had never been unfaithful to her. Didn’t she know that? Didn’t she know how much he loved her?  
But he just watched her apprehensively, unsure of what to do or say. She kept her head lowered, letting her long beautiful sandy-blond hair hide her face. He so much wanted to gently push that hair aside and see her face. See what she was hiding from him. But he let her stay in the position.  
And he realized in alarm that she was crying! She brought a hand up and wiped her cheek behind her hair. His instinct was to go to her, to ask her what was wrong. But he saw by her stance that she didn’t want him to know. So he kept his place, heart aching as he watched his girl grapple with her emotions and turn from him. Again.

For the next week, Shallee managed to avoid Martin when he came home in the evenings, making sure she was in bed. She couldn’t help watching his videos, but she reserved that for times during the day when she wouldn’t be caught doing it. But she did get up and drink coffee with him every morning. In fact, it had become a sort of ritual for them in the past week. And he seemed to take enormous pleasure in their time together. He loved sharing with her what went on in the recording studio. The frustrations of trying to get just the right sound and the joy when they finally did, when they knew – just KNEW – that the sound was perfect!  
And she fell more in love with him each morning as they shared.  
She only screwed up a couple of times, not knowing some of the lingo and some of the names he dropped. Natalia hadn’t talked much about Martin in the past six months, so Shallee had no new information to pull from memory. He had only looked at her curiously and gently “reminded” her of these things she seemed to have forgotten.  
And she had spoken with her sister for the first couple of days but not since. She was worried. When she had called Natalia back that morning, her sister had seemed keenly interested in Shallee’s agent – a very handsome older man who had made it subtly clear that he wanted Shallee, if ever and whenever she was ready. Shallee had been mildly attracted to him, but wanted to keep business and pleasure separate. But he always called her every day and sometimes stopped by. He was always polite and respectful. But she could always see the desire in his eyes. Now she feared her sister might be doing the unthinkable!  
Oh God help us both, Shallee thought!

Martin drove to the studio with a mixture of emotions that morning. When he had went to leave, telling Natalia goodbye, she had gently touched his arm to stop him. Looking into her eyes, he had seen a longing there he hadn’t seen in a while and on impulse, he had bent his head down and touched his lips to hers. He had expected the kiss to be perfunctory. But it hadn’t been. It hadn’t been a deep kiss – they didn’t use their tongues. But it hadn’t been casual either. She had placed her hands lightly on his waist and pressed her lips into his softly, but firmly. Then had pulled quickly away, ducking her face from him so he couldn’t see her expression. As though she had done something wrong and was ashamed.  
He was baffled by his wife’s behavior lately! He could feel the love coming from her. Feel it! He knew she loved him! But it was as though she didn’t WANT to love him! Like she thought she was doing something wrong. He didn’t understand at all! And it was becoming a distraction; affecting his work.  
He decided that he was going to talk to his wife. That day. She was always in bed when he got home. So he would come home early and surprise her.

Shallee’s heart sank as she listened to her sister chatter on and on about Emmett – her agent. Oh God what has she done, Shallee despaired!  
“Shallee, it was incredible! Like nothing I ever had with Martin”, Natalia gushed on! “I mean, I love Martin, of course. But…”  
Shallee thought, “Do you?” When had her sister become so shallow? Her and Martin had only been married a few years. It wasn’t like they had been together a long time and boredom and the humdrum of the everyday existence of a long marriage could’ve set in.  
And to have an affair in less than a week away from her husband?? How could she??  
Natalia sensed her sister’s disapproval in her silence.  
“Are you mad,” she asked, knowing that Shallee wasn’t happy, but hoping she wasn’t mad. Shallee was holding her life for her while she had a little adventure afterall. Then alarmed, she asked, “You haven’t slept with Martin, have you?””  
“No!” Shallee shot back forcefully and very quickly. Natalia’s breath caught.  
“No,” Shallee said again more calmly, knowing she had just given a little something away by her vehement denial. She hadn’t slept with Martin, but God how she wanted to!  
“But you want to,” Natalia said in a voice that Shallee didn’t really recognize. It sounded…calculating. Even conniving.  
“Look,” Natalia continued, “if you do, you do. I’ll understand. I won’t be upset with you.”  
Then Shallee exploded!  
Running her words together, Shallee let Natalia have it! “Your husband is in love with you! So in love with you! He needs you and wants you, wants to share his life with you! But you give him the cold shoulder! And now you have the gall to give me permission to fuck him! You have the fucking gall to say that to me!!” She was nearly shouting!  
Shallee heard Natalia’s light sob. And then silence. She realized looking at her cell phone that her sister had hung up on her.  
Furious, she called her back. And got no answer. She tried again. Still no answer. So she sent a text, “What the fuck???”  
Still no answer.  
She was tempted to go to her own house and grab her sister – haul her back home where she belonged. But then she realized she didn’t really want to. She loved being with Martin. She didn’t want to end her time with him. But what about when the 30 days was up? What then? Obviously her sister wasn’t going to give him the attention he needed and deserved! After Shallee had been doing that for her, how would he feel when his cold and distant wife came back home?  
She didn’t know what to do! Her heart ached at the thought of how hurt Martin was going to be when they switched back. She needed to turn cold on him, much as that would hurt. If she didn’t, the hurt would be worse in three weeks.  
But she just couldn’t do that. She was falling in love with him and she could NOT be cold. In fact, she didn’t know how much longer she could keep from letting him take her to bed!

As Martin drove back home that afternoon, he felt guilty for lying and telling the guys he had an emergency and had to leave. But he drove home resolutely. He was going to talk to his wife!  
And when he got home, he came in the front door quietly. Looking around, he didn’t see or hear “Natalia”. He peeked into the kitchen just off to the left of the foyer. She wasn’t in there. He ventured further down the foyer where it ended in the living room archway.  
There she was. She was napping on the couch. And, he saw with pleasure, she was watching his videos again. He wondered how often she did that. It gave him hope and he quietly walked to the couch where she lay napping and bent down, just watching her beautiful face for a moment as she slumbered.  
She was so beautiful! He marveled at her beauty sometimes. She wasn’t some hottie with a stripper body and a movie star face. She was quietly pretty. Delicate. Tiny. Sweetly beautiful. Small proportioned. Not voluptuous. But sexy. In her eyes shone a beauty and raw sexuality like he had never seen in any stripper’s or movie star’s eyes! At least until about six months ago when she had turned hard and cold. But now…  
He continued to watch her a moment. She must’ve sensed his presence, for her eyes fluttered open. And she jumped up nearly screaming! He nearly fell backwards on his ass!  
“Martin!” She nearly screamed his name, covering her mouth. Then she busted out laughing! Shrieks of giggles bursting from her covered mouth!  
“You scared the shit out of me,” she laughed, swatting at him playfully!  
“I’m sorry,” he laughed. “I saw you sleeping and didn’t want to disturb you. You looked so beautiful.” His laugh tapered off as he stared into her eyes. And she stared into his.  
And Shallee knew she wouldn’t be telling him “no” this time.  
Martin stood up and reached out his hand to her, his eyes never leaving hers. Shallee stood up and took his hand and let him lead her into his bedroom.

Martin led Shallee to the edge of the bed, and gazed into her eyes a moment. Shallee was nearly drowning in those deep blue depths! My God, she thought. He’s so beautiful!  
As he bent his head to kiss her, she moved into his arms, tentatively laying her splayed hands on his broad chest, then gripping his shirt in her fists as their kiss deepened. His tongue darted past her lips and touched hers. Soft and feathery at first. Tasting her. She tasted him back. He tasted so good! And she could tell he had used a breath freshener. For her. As though he planned this. Knew it would come to this. Such a sweet gesture, that she fell even more in love with him.  
As their kiss deepened, he gently ran his hands up and down her back, massaging, caressing. Then he brought his hands around and began lightly rubbing his thumbs over her breasts. Her nipples, unencumbered by a bra, were erect and he gently kneaded them with his thumbs, making her gasp lightly and arch into his embrace. My God how she wanted him! The guilt tried to bray in her mind, but she silenced it, deepening the kiss even more, twining her arms around his middle and pulling him in tight.  
As she ran her hands up and down his back, kneading and caressing, one hand found its way to his ass and gently stroked. He groaned as she deepened the caress, squeezing and kneading more firmly.  
She could feel his erection through his slacks as he pressed in close, grinding into her lightly, and she was nearly beside herself wanting him!  
Backing into the edge of the bed, she pulled him with her and lay down, gently pulling him on top of her. Their lips never parted as her frantic hands caressed and stroked his back, his ass, his arms.  
Needing her breasts in his mouth, Martin pulled her white tank top over her head and gazed at her naked breasts. Small but beautiful, he groaned lightly as he took first one, then the other nipple in his mouth, sliding and darting his tongue over the erect nubbin, making Shallee gasp aloud in pleasure!  
Shallee was nearly mad with desire! His mouth and tongue on her breasts was driving her insane with lust! Pulling on his t-shirt, she managed to yank it over his head and fling it over the side of the bed as she eagerly ran her hands over his naked flesh, loving the feel of his skin under her fingers.  
Martin’s mouth left her breasts and she groaned in frustration! But his lips and tongue traveled down the length of her stomach, kissing her navel, her hips, indeed every inch of her torso. She tossed her head from side to side and groaned with need!  
Martin chuckled low. A seductive sound that reverberated up her spine and made her almost want to climax right then!  
He slowly slid her shorts down her hips, taking her panties with them, kissing her flesh slowly downward as he went.  
Shallee was moaning loudly, grabbing the sides of Martin’s head and gently massaging his hair as she guided him down, down…  
His tongue found the cleft of her vagina and she cried out as he moved further down, lightly flicking his tongue over her clitoris.  
“Oh God, Martin, please,” she panted!  
Chuckling that seductive chuckle again, he obliged, gliding his tongue over and around her clitoris, probing deep with his tongue.  
Shallee was panting and moaning as his tongue found his way into her hole, probing up and deep, sliding around her as his left thumb found its way to her clitoris and began massaging and pressing that button. She nearly screamed as an orgasm shook her!  
Gripping his hair, she tossed her head from side to side, calling out his name, “Martin, Oh Martin, Oh God Martin!”  
When she opened her eyes, she could see his beautiful blue eyes watching her from between her legs as she came. The total love she saw in them made her want to cry. She loved him so much! God how she loved him!  
Orgasm subsiding, she pulled him up from between her legs. She needed him in HER mouth now!  
Standing him up, she undid his jeans and slid them down his well-honed thighs. Then his underwear.  
His cock stood out huge and erect and she marveled at its size!  
Grabbing the base in her left hand, she slid her lips down, then back up. Down and back up, sliding her tongue over the outer foreskin, making him groan and gasp as he gripped her head gently with both hands, guiding her over the length of him. He was panting heavily, head thrown back, beautiful blue eyes squeezed tightly shut as she gave him pleasure with mouth and tongue.  
Then, moving her head gently off his enormous cock, he laid her back on the bed and propped himself up on top of her. Moving her thighs apart with his knees, he gazed in her eyes as he slid his length slowly inside of her.  
Shallee gasped at the penetration for he was huge! But God it felt good as he stretched her and slowly slid all the way in to the hilt.  
Wrapping her legs around his hips, she met his thrust and began to rock with him as he slowly withdrew, then penetrated, withdrew then penetrated. He seemed to be getting deeper with each stroke.  
As he rocked gently then harder into her, his thrusts became more frantic. She continued to rock with him, nearly swooning as her orgasm began to build and build! God he felt incredible! Almost painful with his size, but so fucking good! She had never felt anything as good as Martin inside of her!  
As she arched and clenched, squeezing him with each thrust, her orgasm took her away! Arching her back, she screamed out his name as it took her! She was squeezing as she came and Martin could no longer hold back – God she felt incredible! He felt his orgasm begin and tensed, nearly swooning as it took him away! Thrusting harder and faster, he cried out her name and exploded inside of her!  
Shallee’s eyes, having been squeezed shut in ecstasy snapped open as Martin called out her sister’s name. Heart breaking, she continued to move with him as he came, never letting go, never backing off as she eked every ounce of pleasure she could from it and gave every ounce of pleasure she could to him, this man she loved so very much, but could never have as her own!

Martin woke the next morning with a light heart. Shallee wasn’t next to him in bed where they had fallen asleep, then woke up and made love, then fallen asleep again.  
He got up and made his way downstairs to the kitchen, assuming she was down there with a fresh pot of coffee brewed, as was their regular morning ritual for the past week and a half.  
But she wasn’t there.  
He found a pink post-it note with handwriting on it, telling him that she had gone into town to run some errands.  
Disappointed, he looked at the note frowning. Her handwriting was different. Normally, she wrote in short, bubbly scrawls. This handwriting was longer and thinner. Almost as though someone else entirely had written the note. But she signed it “Natalia”. But it wasn’t her signature. He frowned at the note a moment, then set it back down and reached for the coffee maker to make a pot of coffee.  
But he barely drank it as he puzzled over his wife’s behavior. Something bothered him and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Shallee wasn’t actually IN town running errands.  
When she had awoke, she felt Martin next to her and just listened to his soft snoring, loving the feel of him in her embrace. Loving him.  
Stifling a sob, she had gotten up from bed and gone into the bathroom to shower. And as she let the warm water cascade over her naked flesh, she quietly sobbed, heart breaking.  
How was she to get out of this situation?? How? How could she leave him when she loved him so much?? But how could she stay? He was in love with her sister, not her! He thought he had made love to Natalia all night, not Shallee! If he found out, he would hate her! He would hate them both! But if she switched back, her sister’s indifference and coldness would destroy him! She didn’t know what to do! She didn’t even care about her own heart anymore – just his! How could she fix this without breaking his heart?

Martin could barely concentrate at the recording studio and ended up getting sent home by everyone. They were completely aggravated with him at this point. He felt terrible, but he couldn’t stop thinking about his wife. Something was wrong, was off. He knew it. He sensed it. It was tantalizingly close to his consciousness. But he couldn’t quite grasp it.

Back at home after she was sure Martin was gone, Shallee paced the floor. She couldn’t see her way through this situation. There was no way out! No matter what she did, Martin was going to be hurt. But maybe… Maybe if she switched back and her sister’s coldness broke his heart, maybe Shallee could be there and…  
What was she thinking! Stealing her sister’s husband? How could she even think such a thing??  
But Natalia didn’t love Martin anymore. So…  
Tears running down her face, Shallee paced. And never heard Martin come in. He watched her as she paced and cried, more confused and more alarmed than ever.  
Sensing his presence finally, Shallee jumped and turned, meeting his alarmed stare.  
“I..” she started to say.  
Martin just shook his head in confusion. “I don’t understand. What is going on with you?” He walked over to her, standing in front of her, looking at her with a mixture of love, confusion, and anger. “Woman, you’re tearing me apart! What is going on in your head?”  
Stifling a sob, he turned away from her and said quietly, “Please talk to me. Please.”  
Heart breaking, Shallee didn’t know what to say. She started to reach for him when suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her head and chest and dizziness started to overtake her. She let out a soft whimper as the dizziness overtook her and she collapsed.  
Martin turned around at her small cry just in time to catch her before she hit the floor.

Shallee slowly woke, confused, terrified. Something was wrong! Terribly wrong. Natalia!  
She heard a voice talking. Martin. He was talking to someone. Who?  
She slowly opened her eyes and saw Martin standing over by the porch doors, talking on his cell phone to someone, murmuring low. She couldn’t make out what he was saying, but she sensed something awful was about to happen!  
Turning, he saw she was awake and slowly walked over to her, kneeling down beside the couch where he had placed her when she fainted. She could see tears on his cheeks and deep sorrow in his beautiful blue eyes.  
Sitting up in alarm, Shallee tried to speak, but all she could say was “Natalia? It’s Natalia!”  
Looking at her confused, Martin gently laid her back down and took her hand.  
“Natalia, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry!”  
Shallee looked at him confused. Why was he calling her Natalia? Then she remembered!  
“My sister,” she exclaimed, shoving his hands away and trying to get up.  
He gently laid her back down. “It’s about your sister.”  
“I need to see my sister. I need to talk to her now,” she exclaimed, trying to push him aside and get up.  
She made it to a sitting position, but Martin sat down beside her and took her hands in his, preventing her from rising.  
“Natalia, I don’t know how to tell you this. Baby, I’m so sorry!”  
Shallee looked at him warily, afraid.  
“What,” she whispered.  
“Shallee and her agent were in a car accident. They were hit head-on. There were no survivors.” He reached for her, but Shallee jumped up.  
“No!”  
She ran to her purse, pulling out her cell phone and punching up her sister’s name on her speed dial list. It rang and rang. She immediately sent a text, “Call me ASAP!” And waited, pacing, for her sister to respond.  
Martin watched her, pain in his eyes. He knew how close Natalia and Shallee were. This was going to break her! It broke his heart for he loved Shallee, too. They had always been close and he was going to grieve hard for her.  
But it took taking “Natalia” to the morgue to see her sister’s broken body before she believed. She knew it in her heart already before Martin had even told her. But she couldn’t accept that her other half was gone. Forever. She had to see the body. And at Martin’s protestations, she made him drive her to the morgue. And she saw. And she broke.  
Martin convinced the doctor to let him take her home with a prescription of Xanax. He wanted to take care of her. He didn’t want her to be in some cold hospital bed. He wanted her in his bed, in his arms. Where he could comfort her.  
She had slept fitfully, even with the Xanax. She woke constantly, crying out, screaming out her own name. He held her and soothed her until she calmed and fell back asleep again, however fitfully.

At the funeral, Shallee was in a state of shock, numb. They were burying Shallee Garrison. But SHE was Shallee Garrison! The woman in that coffin was her beloved sister Natalia Persner! She groaned inside. And felt dead. They might as well be burying her, too. She longed to throw herself on her sister’s coffin as they lowered it into the ground. Let them bury her, too! It was her fault Natalia was dead! Her sister was obviously in turmoil emotionally and she had allowed her sister to talk her into a foolish game that had gotten Natalia killed! This was her fault! How could she ever live with herself! How could she ever live?!

As the days and weeks passed, Martin watched his wife withdraw further and further into herself. He didn’t know what to do to help her! He knew there was a special bond between twins – even moreso with identical twins – but he didn’t know how to reach her. She looked through him, not at him. As though she had died, too, with her twin. And maybe a part of her had died with Shallee. He couldn’t possibly understand the bond shared between identical twins. And he desperately wanted to help her! He just didn’t know how!  
So he was just there for her. He hadn’t been back to the recording studio and he knew his music would suffer for it. But he didn’t care. All he cared about was “Natalia”. She was all that mattered. His music be damned!  
But “Natalia” didn’t respond to him. And eventually, she went back to her sister’s house in Atlanta. Supposedly to go through her things. But she ended up staying there. She didn’t come back.  
Finally, in frustration, Martin drove from Nashville where their home was to Atlanta to get her! Goddammit, she was his wife and he was bringing her home.  
When he arrived, though, he found his wife hard at work at her sister’s laptop, writing. Natalia had never shown any inclination towards being a writer and he was confused by this. Was she trying to be her sister now?  
“Natalia” greeted him with a small and distant smile. He could still see her love in that smile, but it was ghostly. Sad. Broken.  
He looked around at the neatly arranged and decorated house, seeing no indication that anything was being boxed up.  
“What are you doing,” he asked? He was trying to be understanding, but his frustration and fear were getting the better of him.  
“Oh, just doing some writing,” his wife answered him distantly, that small smile still touching her lips.  
“But you’re not a writer,” he blurted, frustrated.  
She looked at him in surprise. Then smiled. “I’ll make some coffee.”  
He followed her into the kitchen, feeling surreal. And more than a little afraid. Was she having a psychotic break? Her mind seemed more intact than it had been. But what was she doing here?  
“Natalia…” he started to say.  
“I know. I miss her, too. So much,” his wife said in his pause.  
More confused, Martin just watched her as she put on a pot of coffee.  
“Will you be staying,” she asked as the coffee brewed?  
“Yes,” he answered without hesitation. He wasn’t going ANYWHERE until he got hold of this situation! Whatever was going on with her, he was going to fix it! No matter what!  
She smiled warmly at him and got cups down for their coffee.

Martin watched her for days as she immersed herself in her sister’s life. She was his wife. They slept together. They even made love. And it was as sweet as ever. But he could sense something was off.  
He was going through some drawers of Shallee’s and looking through some old scrapbooks when he came across a journal. Out of curiosity, he opened it up, not really wanting to read it. He just was going to thumb through it. To feel closer to Shallee. He missed her, too. It hurt knowing they would never have lunch together and laugh together. She had been the best sister-in-law!  
He noticed the handwriting in the journal. The handwriting. The handwriting that perfectly matched the note on the post-it note that morning after he and Natalia had made love after so long!  
As he stared at that handwriting, Martin began to feel dizzy. And sick. And as he began to realize the truth, he read the last entries in Shallee’s journal!

Numb, wanting to grieve for his dead wife, Martin just silently watched Shallee for the rest of the day. And he noticed small discrepancies. Her walk. Her smile. The tilt of her head when she regarded him. How could he have not noticed?? How was he so easily fooled? And why dammit? Why did they do it? Why? He had to know; it was tantamount to his sanity!

Shallee noticed something was off with Martin. He seemed…reserved. Watchful. Even angry. Not overtly angry. It seemed to shimmer just beneath the surface.  
She knew she was acting strange to him. His “wife” acting like her “sister”. He was probably worried she was having a psychotic break. But she didn’t know what to do! She was caught in a hopeless situation! It was one thing to tell him when Natalia was still alive and they could explain it to him together. But Natalia was dead! Shallee was all alone and she didn’t know how to back out of this situation. Because it wasn’t just Martin anymore. Everyone believed she was dead!  
She was pacing her bedroom floor, head bowed, trying to figure out her situation when she felt another presence in the room.  
Jumping a little, she whirled and saw Martin standing in the doorway watching her, an odd expression on his face.  
Shallee smiled tentatively, but the smile died before it began because she could see in his eyes that he knew – somehow he knew!  
She started to speak, but Martin held up his hand, halting her before she could begin.  
He tossed her journal onto the bed and just looked at her. Shallee only looked at the journal and Martin, confused.  
“Shallee’s journal,” she questioned, still trying to keep up the façade.  
“Stop,” Martin shouted! “I flipped through it. The handwriting is distinctive. And it distinctively changes about two weeks ago, too.”  
He stopped, shoulders slumped, and sat on the edge of the bed, his back to Shallee.  
Shallee wanted so much to go to him. She could see the hurt in his posture. The confusion. The grief and despair. But she knew her touch wouldn’t be welcome. Not now.  
She wondered how much he knew. Had Natalia written about her affair with the literary agent? Oh, surely not, Shallee thought, horrified! But somehow, she knew that Natalia had. Oh my God, poor Martin, Shallee despaired! Then she realized he was crying as he swiped at his cheek, brushing away a tear.  
“I just want to know why,” he said quietly, almost in a whisper.  
Shallee didn’t know what to say. How could she tell him that this was Natalia’s idea? It would hurt Martin even more to know this.  
“WHY DAMMIT!!” Martin stood up suddenly, crossing the room, eyes blazing! He reached for Shallee, gripping her shoulders hard, giving her a rough shake, eyes boring into hers. The anger there scared her!  
“W-we, or I needed a change,” she began in a whisper, trying to lie to spare Martin’s heart and to preserve her dead sister’s memory in his mind. She would take the blame. “I needed to get away from my life for a while. I talked Natalia into it. She did it for me.” Shallee hung her head so he couldn’t see her eyes and see the truth. But he had. He knew she was lying to protect her sister’s memory.  
“BULLSHIT!”  
“No, it’s true. I was stressed and I just…”  
“Stop lying to me! I know this wasn’t your idea! I read her entry in your journal. Fuck!”  
He turned away from her, hands to his face and wept then. Shallee wanted so much to go to him. To take him in her arms and love him. Her whole body ached just to hold him and take away his pain! But all she could do was stand there impotently. Horrified at the pain she and her sister had caused. At the mess they had made!  
He continued, hands still over his face, voice muffled and broken. “This was what she wanted. She talked YOU into it. And you let her.” A sob broke through then and he stopped, composing himself. “And she fucked another man. Didn’t even have a qualm. She wanted it and she did it.” Then his voice broke completely as the sobs broke through him.  
Heart tearing apart, Shallee ran to him and tried to take him in her arms, “Martin..”  
He whirled away from her, turning on her, face red, eyes streaming tears, “Don’t you touch me,” he whispered harshly! “Don’t you DARE touch me you BITCH!”  
And then Shallee was sobbing. “No Martin, please…”  
He whirled around and stumbled out of the bedroom and down the hall. She ran after him. “Martin!”  
“Leave me alone and let me mourn my wife,” he yelled back at her! “Just leave me alone!”  
He slammed out of the front door and she ran after him, following him to his car. Catching up to him, she grabbed his right hand, trying to stop him. She needed to talk to him, to try to make him understand somehow!  
He whirled and yanked his hand away and brought it up, nearly striking her, but stopped. The anger, grief and pain in his face stopped her cold.  
Face wet with tears, he turned from her and got in his Mustang. And all she could do was watch, tears streaming down her face, as the man she loved more than anything in life tore down the street and out of her life.

For the next week, Shallee did nothing but sit on the couch watching Martin’s videos. She seldom got up, except to go to the bathroom when needed and to nibble on something when hunger pangs compelled her to. And she didn’t bathe. Her cell phone rang a few times and she picked it up and looked at the call hopefully. But it was never Martin. And she didn’t bother to answer. Or check her voice mail. She didn’t care. All that she cared about walked out of her life forever.  
She had read the entries her sister made in her journal. And for the first time in her life, she felt black hate for her twin. And that feeling in the wake of her sister’s death brought feelings of guilt so powerful, she couldn’t bear it. So she drank.  
And drank.  
And stayed in a hazy stupor, watching Martin’s videos on YouTube. Hoping she could join her sister in death.

Martin, having a similar experience, remained in a drunken stupor for several days, not bothering to answer calls or knocks that came at his door. He just didn’t care.  
He was so confused! He was grieving for his dead wife. But he was also angry at her as well. What she and Shallee had done to him was monstrous! And the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. And the angrier he got, the more he drank.  
George, one of Martin’s bandmates, had finally gotten worried enough and used the spare key Martin had given him to let himself in Martin’s house and see what the fuck was going on. It wasn’t like Martin to let his music and his commitments got to hell like this!  
What he saw when he walked in stopped him cold. Martin was sitting on his sofa, slumped on a pillow, eyes dazed as he stared unseeing at the TV. He wreaked of booze and George figured he was pretty well plowed.  
He hurried over to Martin and lightly slapped his cheeks, bringing Martin’s eyes more into focus.  
“Martin!” He saw Martin slowly focus on him dazedly.  
“Hey buddy,” he said, chuckling nervously. “What the fuck are you doing dude?”  
“Wasshinng TV,” Martin slurred. “What ta fuck duzz it look-a-like.”  
“Man, you’re fucked up,” George said, pulling Martin into a sitting position, ignoring his grunts of protest.  
Going to the kitchen and putting on a pot of coffee, George maintained the conversation.  
“We’ve missed you at the recording sessions. We’re at the point now where we kinda can’t proceed without you. I mean, you’re the frontman and all…”  
George peeked in and saw that Martin was still in a sitting position and his eyes were open. Glazed, but open.  
“What’s up buddy,” he asked? “Anything going on we should know about?”  
Martin just grunted, his body heaving a little with the effort. But at least he was responsive.  
Watching the coffeemaker intently, as though that would hurry it along, George impatiently waited for it to stop streaming and then yanked the pot out from under and poured some of the brew into a mug, hearing the sizzle on the hot plate as the last drippings continued to drip.  
He added a spoon of sugar and a knock of cream and hurried back into the living room with the mug, hopefully to help sober up his fucked-up friend.  
“Here ya go buddy,” he said, placing the mug in Martin’s left hand and wrapping his hands around the warmth of the mug. He raised it up to Martin’s lips and watched him take a sip.  
“Ow dammit,” Martin groused! “That’s fuckin hot man!” He wiped the dregs off his lips and glared at George, eyes more in focus. He lowered the mug on his own and seemed to be more in charge of his faculties. At least for now. George sighed in relief.  
“So what’s going on,” George asked, feeling impatient but also grief for the pain he was seeing in his friend’s eyes.  
“Nothin,” Martin groused back at him. “None of your goddamned fucking business.”  
“Hey now,” George shot back! “First, you’re my friend, so I make it my business. Second, you’re fuckin up our recording time and making it hard on the rest of us. So it most certainly is my goddamned motherfucking business dude!”  
Martin opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again. He knew George was right. He knew his personal life had fucked him up and made him unreliable.  
Leaning forward, Martin put his face in his hands and said in a muffled voice, “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m sorry.”  
Voice softening, George said, “So what’s up man? What’s got you this fucked up?”  
Martin let out a sound that was half sob, half laugh. George had never heard him make that sound in all the years he had known the man! It startled him. And alarmed him! What the fuck was going on with Martin? He knew he had lost his sister-in-law. But surely that wasn’t causing the fuck-up! I mean, it was his sister-in-law! How broke up can you get over THAT? They were close, he knew. But not THAT close. Geezus! So what the fuck?  
So he waited. He was Martin’s closest friend and bandmate. And he waited for Martin to tell him what had him in the mental mess he was in.  
And Martin did.  
And George couldn’t believe it! No wonder the man was fucked up! Geezus!  
“Natalia is dead,” George questioned, unbelieving?  
“Yes,” Martin whispered.  
“But no one knows? They think she’s alive still?” He still couldn’t believe this! It was too bizarre. Too weird!  
“No,” Martin answered, a little more forcefully, a look of anger in his blue eyes.  
“Jesus Christ, Martin! What the fuck are you gonna do,” George asked, incredulous?!  
“I’m gonna call that little bitch out on her deception,” Martin answered angrily. “That’s what the fuck I’m gonna do!”  
George regarded him doubtfully for a moment. Martin had told him of the time he had spent with Shallee when he believed her to be his wife. It kinda sounded like he loved her. A little at least. And he knew things had pretty well sucked between him and his real wife before. It kinda sounded to George like Martin had accidentally fallen in love with his sister-in-law. But he hesitated to tell him that. Martin looked beyond angry! He looked like a force of vengeance! And not someone anyone wanted to fuck with! He felt a little sorry for Shallee.  
But he ventured anyway. “But she’s your sister-in-law. I thought you loved her…” He trailed off doubtfully.  
“Fuck her,” Martin growled! “She can rot in hell for all I care, the goddamned BITCH!”  
George recoiled a little with the invective. But he persisted a little further. “Martin, it kinda sounds like you maybe might’ve fallen in love with her. Maybe. A little. Maybe…”  
The look of blazing anger Martin turned on George caused him to move back from his friend a little.  
Holding up his hands in surrender, he said, “Or not!”  
“That’s fuckin ludicrous,” Martin vented! “I thought I was with my wife. My wife is who I loved! Not her bitch sister!”  
Martin got up from the couch, pacing in agitation.  
George watched him apprehensively. He really was beginning to feel a little sorry for Shallee. Martin was PISSED! And hurt. That was obvious to him. And it was also obvious that Martin had fallen in love with his sister-in-law and refused to admit it. He was too angry and his pride too wounded to admit it. And in that state, he was gonna get ugly with Shallee. George really felt sorry for her!  
“I’m gonna make a public statement,” Martin said, making plans.  
The TV was still going and on entertainment news. George glanced at it and his eyes widened in shock!  
Martin continued, “I’m gonna tell everyone what that bitch did to me and to Natalia…”  
“Martin look,” George interrupted!  
“What,” Martin asked impatiently, intent on his plans to ruin Shallee and hurt her as she had hurt him.  
He looked at George angrily and followed George’s gaze to the television.  
Shallee!!  
Grabbing up the remote control, Martin hurriedly turned up the volume.  
“…I am Shallee Garrison. The person who died last Tuesday was my identical twin sister, Natalia Persner.” Shallee looked down at her hands a moment, obviously trying to control her tears. Looking back up at the interviewer’s camera, she continued. “My sister and I switched places. She took my place in my life and I took her place in hers. Her husband, the rocker Martin Persner, is aware of what we did.” Shallee stared intently into the camera. “When my sister was killed, I was griefstricken and confused. But it’s past time that everyone knew the truth. I am Shallee Garrison. I’m alive…”  
Martin watched in horror as Shallee stole his thunder!  
“That fucking bitch,” he raged at the TV! “Does she think that excuses what she did? Coming out and admitting it publicly?”  
George regarded him. “You’re just pissed cuz she stole your thunder.”  
Martin whirled on him and George was sure he was about to strike him! He stepped back in alarm!  
But Martin whirled and grabbed his cell phone off the coffee table, pressing a speed dial code on his phone and holding it to his ear. He paced as he held the phone to his ear, listening to endless ringing that ended in a recording. He listened a moment, then threw his phone across the room!  
“Her messages are full goddammit,” he stormed!  
“Whose,” George asked?  
“Shallee’s,” Martin bellowed!!!  
“She’s probably gotten a zillion calls,” George said patiently. “You know she’s just kissed her career goodbye. And all her friends.” George knew Shallee and Natalia had no family left. Martin had often commented on that fact, believing this was one of the things that made the two twins so close.  
“Not good enough,” Martin said angrily and resolutely. He grabbed his keys off the table by the front door and headed out.  
“Hey, wait a minute,” George shouted, hurrying after Martin. “Where are you going?”  
“To tell that bitch what she can do with her fucking speech,” Martin called over his shoulder angrily, heading for his Mustang parked in the street.  
“Whoa, whoa,” George said softly, taking Martin’s arm and halting him.  
Martin slowly turned, regarding George impatiently, anger in his eyes. And, George saw, hurt. Martin was hurting. And not just from grief. He was hurting from betrayal. And not the betrayal of his wife. The betrayal of being deceived by a woman he was in love with. Shallee. He hadn’t fallen back in love with his wife. He had fallen in love with an entirely different woman. Shallee. And he couldn’t handle it. He couldn’t handle being fooled and deceived by this woman he loved so much. Even though it was clear to George that she probably loved him, too and that this fiasco wasn’t her doing. At least not for the most part. And he suspected Martin knew it, too. But his pride was too wounded for him to admit it. He had to have a target for his anger and Shallee was the only one available since Natalia, the one truly responsible, was dead.  
George let go of Martin’s arm and backed off, deciding to let his friend deal with this as he saw fit and hoping it would turn out better than it seemed like it would.

As Martin drove to Shallee’s house in Atlanta, he had time to think on the hours-long drive. However, his anger overrode his common sense. He knew what George said was true. He and Natalia had drifted apart. He still loved his wife with all his heart! But the women he had spent time with – the woman he had reacquainted with and re-fallen in love with had not been his wife! It has been her sister! He had fallen in love with his wife’s twin sister! And the guilt and revulsion that he felt in that knowledge made him angrier and angrier. How could they have done this to him? To themselves even? What had they been thinking?  
But he also kept thinking of the moments with Shallee. And though it had been in his mind like reacquainting with his wife, falling in love with her again – it had been different somehow. Fresher. More intense. And the knowledge that he loved Shallee more than he had ever loved Natalia was tearing him up! No! He LOVED his dead wife! Not her sister! It was unthinkable!  
But he could not deny his feelings for Shallee! And as much as he wanted to hurt her for putting him through this hell, he wanted to take her in his arms and love her even more!

After her interview, Shallee had gone back home in a daze. Everyone had questions. Everyone wanted to know about the fateful twist in the life of author Shallee Garrison. What of the rocker Martin Persner? What were his feelings on the situation? What had possessed the twins to make the switch? And so on, and so on…  
Shallee couldn’t take anymore and her assistant had discreetly shown her a back way out of the studio where the interview was held and gotten her an uber back home. Where she now sat on the couch in absolute silence. Except for the incessant ringing of her cell phone. She knew her friends and colleagues would be shocked and horrified. They’d been dealing with a fraud for the past couple of weeks. Shallee wondered if they’d ever forgive her. Entertainment types – they could hold grudges; especially when they had been made to look like fools!  
Not that Shallee really cared. She wasn’t that close to anyone. Other than Natalia. And Martin.  
Oh, Martin! Shallee’s heart broke at the thought of him! She wanted him in her arms again so badly! But she knew it would never be. Her whole body ached with the need to touch him, to hold him, to see him look in her eyes with love again. Because she knew he loved her! HER! She had felt it in his touch. She knew! But she also knew he would never admit it any more than he would ever forgive her for what she and her sister had done to him! And she couldn’t blame him. The betrayal he must feel! It broke her heart and made her want to die like her precious twin!  
Shallee was in bed not sleeping when she heard a car door slam outside. Oh great, she thought! Reporters. Or worse.  
Getting out of bed and putting on her robe and slippers, she quietly made her way downstairs to the living room window and cautiously moving the blinds to peek out. And what she saw astonished her! Martin!  
She was running for the front door when the loud banging started. She stopped short, uncertain. Why was he here? He loved her, but he also hated her now. She also knew the sight of her sickened him now. Then she thought, the interview!  
She continued to the front door and slowly opened it a crack, peeking out into the furious face of the man she loved.  
Shoving the door open and pushing past Shallee, Martin briskly walked into the living room and started angrily pacing the floor, agitated as hell.  
Shallee watched him with a mixture of hope and dread. She wanted to go to him, to hold him. To tell him how sorry she was. She was hurting too! She had lost the only person she had ever been close to! And now the man she loved. The only man she had ever loved! She needed comforting so bad. And there was no one. No one who would understand her. No one who really gave a damn. Except Martin. But he was too angry and hurt to comfort HER. She was the reason for his hurt after all!  
So she just watched him for a moment, loving him. Needing him.  
Finally he stopped pacing and looked at her. Glared at her. The hate she saw blazing in his eyes made her take a step back! Oh God it hurt to see that hate! He had loved her so much. All she wanted was to live in that love again. To be in his arms again. But that look told her it would never be! And her heart broke!  
Martin briskly walked over to Shallee, grabbing her shoulders hard. Giving her a quick shake, he opened his mouth to speak. But didn’t know what to say. He was angry! He had wanted to out her, to humiliate her. To hurt her as she had hurt him! And now he just felt this impotent rage. And something in him broke. As he looked into her tear-filled eyes, he realized he had fallen in love with his sister-in-law. That he still loved her. That he hated her and loved her at the same time!  
With a low growl in the back of his throat, he brought his lips down hard on hers! Brutally kissing her, he shoved her lips apart with his tongue and frantically darted his tongue around hers, probing hard.  
But she was pliant. She accepted his brutal kiss with softened lips and an eager tongue of her own.  
Picking her up, Martin dropped her on the couch and pounced on her, his hands ripping open her nightie as he roughly squeezed her breasts, kneading them painfully.  
Shallee cried out! Not so much in pain as in eagerness. His brutal touch hurt. But it was also welcome, desired!  
Responding to her cry, Martin growled again and fondled her more roughly, bringing his lips down hard on hers, drawing blood as he mashed her teeth against her lips. And the taste of her blood drove him into a frenzy!  
Pawing at her pussy, he rammed two fingers into her and found her wet and eager for him. Maneuvering his pants down with one hand, kicking them off, he ripped off her panties and brutally shoved his massively hardened cock into her. Hard! And deep!  
Shallee cried out in pain and ecstasy, arching her hips up to meet his hard thrusts! She grabbed his ass and pulled him deeper.  
Martin was whining in his throat as his cock grew even larger. He knew he was about to cum and wanted Shallee to cum with him. And she did.  
Shallee gasped, arching her hips up further into Martin’s hard thrusts and squeezing his thrusting cock hard with her pussy as she had the most intense, and the most violent, orgasm she had ever had in her life!  
And as she squirted her juices between their slapping bellies, Martin yelled out as he climaxed, exploding his own juices inside of her, nearly passing out with the intensity of the orgasm!  
Continuing to thrust hard into her as his climax slowly eased, Martin opened his eyes and saw Shallee gazing at him. The love that shone in her gaze made him gasp as he realized what he’d just done! He had raped her! She might have been willing, but in his mind, it had been rape. He had just raped the woman he loved!  
Crying out, he pulled out of her and quickly rose from the couch, looking at her in horror! Grabbing his clothes and dressing himself as quickly as he could, he went to leave, but Shallee jumped up and grabbed his arm.  
He wouldn’t look at her. He kept his back to her and gently tried to pull away.  
“Martin,” she began.  
“No,” he sobbed!  
Shallee walked around him and stood in front of him, forcing him to meet her eyes. What she saw there broke her heart! He loved her and he was ashamed! Ashamed of what he’d just done. But as far as she was concerned, it was the most beautiful and wonderful thing he could’ve done! He had needed to vent his anger and he had done it in love! And she had been more than willing to let him vent in this way! It was healing. If he would only let it.  
But he was too horrified of his actions to see it that way and he gently pushed past her and nearly ran out her front door!  
Frantically grabbing up her clothes and dressing herself, Shallee tried to catch him before he could leave, but he peeled out of her driveway before she could get to him. All she could do was watch helplessly as his receding taillights sped off into the night.

Despairing, Shallee was finally starting to fall asleep on the sofa, watching Martin on YouTube again. She knew her message center was full on her cell phone. No one could leave any more messages. She had tried calling Martin a dozen times but got no answer. She had left a dozen desperate messages, but still he hadn’t returned any of her calls.  
As she was just drifting off, her cell phone rang. Grabbing it, she frantically said, “Hello!”  
“Shallee,” an unfamiliar voice asked?  
“Yes,” she answered, hope dying.  
“You don’t know me. We’ve never met. My name is George. I’m a friend of Martin’s and a bandmate.” He stopped, waiting for her reply.  
Confused, Shallee only said, “Yes?”  
“Well, he was on his way to Atlanta…”  
“I know,” Shallee interrupted. “He was here. But he left. What…”  
“So you saw him,” George asked, surprised?  
“Yes! What…”  
“Shallee, Martin was in a car accident. A bad one.”  
“What,” Shallee gasped??? “When?”  
“I’m not sure,” George went on. “I’m his emergency contact. Well, after you. Or Natalia. Or whatever…” George trailed off, uncomfortable as hell!  
“But…” Shallee prodded.  
“I don’t know,” George went on. “He was hit head-on. They think it was the other driver’s fault. But Shallee, Martin had been drinking.”  
Shallee drew in a sharp breath! No! He hadn’t been drunk! He had been stone-cold sober!  
“He was pretty sober when he left, but he had been pretty fucked up before,” George added.  
“And he was sober when he was here,” Shallee nearly shouted. “But what happened???”  
“I’m at Grady Memorial now,” George answered. “I don’t know anything yet. The emergency room doctors are with him right now.” He paused.  
“I’m on my way,” Shallee answered and hung up.  
George just looked at his dead cell phone, relieved.

As Shallee made the drive downtown, she prayed for the first time in years. She prayed for Martin’s recovery, that he would be okay. But most of all, she prayed that she would get the chance to tell him how much she loved him.

George was outside the ER smoking a cigarette and waiting for Shallee. She was on her way and he expected her to arrive at any moment.  
He was scared. He hadn’t heard anything from anyone about Martin’s condition and he was worried. He wondered how they would proceed with the band if anything happened to Martin. But he also realized that he wondered how HE himself would get by without his closest friend. He was worried sick and willed Shallee to get there quickly. He needed someone to talk to, to support him as he paced and chain-smoked.  
As he tried not to consider life without Martin, a tiny little woman with a commanding presence resolutely walked towards the entrance doors to the ER. He recognized her immediately though he had never met her. She was the exact physical copy of Martin’s wife, Natalia. Shallee. He saw the look of trauma in her eyes as she briefly focused on him and then walked on by, not recognizing him. He realized that they’d never actually met and he was a stranger to her.  
Reaching out and touching her arm as she walked past, he said, “Shallee?”  
Shallee stopped and turned to him, a questioning look in her eyes.  
“I’m George,” George said.  
“Oh, hi,” Shallee breathed in relief, taking the hand that touched her arm. “How is he?”  
“I don’t know yet,” George answered. Seeing the look of alarm and terror on Shallee’s face, he continued quickly, “They aren’t that forthcoming with non family members.”  
“That’s about to change,” Shallee said, a look of hard resolve coming into her eyes as she stalked into the ER receiving area, taking George’s hand and pulling him along with her.  
Good, George thought. She’ll get some results.  
Shallee approached the front desk and George watched as the look of hard resolve dissolved. Her face composed itself into a look of distraught terror and tears were in her eyes as she approached the clerk at the front desk.  
“I-I-I’m here to see m-my husband,” Shallee began in a tremulous voice. “M-Martin Persner?”  
George watched as the triage nurse’s blasé face composed itself into a look of compassion and concern at the obviously distraught woman in front of her.  
The nurse consulted her computer and told Shallee to take a seat while she found out what was happening.  
Good girl, George thought! These people probably hadn’t seen the entertainment news and probably had no clue what was going on with their patient, Martin’s, life at the moment. As his wife, she could get immediate answers, he hoped.  
Shallee sat in one of the ghastly orange waiting room chairs, head down, hands clasped in her lap as they waited.  
“He’s going to be okay,” George said softly, placing his hand on her clasped fists, his voice gentle.  
Shallee looked at him, eyes shining with unshed tears. “He has to be,” she whispered. “He has to know how much I love him. He has to know how sorry I am. He just has to.” Voice lowering even further, she said, “I need him.”  
George squeezed her clasped hands and said nothing more, bringing his arm up and pulling her to him, letting her rest her head on his shoulder as she softly wept. He wondered if she’d had anyone to comfort her in all the turmoil of late and he felt his heart surge with honor at the thought that he could be here for this sweet woman. He couldn’t even imagine the pain she was going through lately. And now this. He squeezed her tighter as he felt her body shake with her quiet sobs.  
Shallee was so grateful for this shoulder to cry on. She didn’t know this man, but the fact that he was Martin’s best friend was all she needed to know. His acceptance and willingness to comfort her helped more than he could ever know.  
“Mrs. Persner?” A deep male voice startled Shallee. She jumped and stood up quickly, wiping the tears from her cheeks.  
“I’m Mrs. Persner,” she lied, taking the man’s extended hand. He was obviously a doctor, wearing a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck.  
“I’m Dr. Corder,” he said, releasing her hand and sitting in the empty seat next to her. Shallee sat back down nervously, waiting to hear what he would say about Martin.  
This doctor was short and possibly Hispanic, with only the slightest of accents. But his dark brown eyes were kind and she was put at ease.  
“Your husband is resting now. He was hurt pretty badly.”  
Seeing the look of alarm that entered Shallee’s eyes, he quickly continued. “But he was also very lucky. It could have been much worse.” Seeing her relax slightly, he continued, his dark eyes not leaving hers.  
“He has a broken arm, a broken leg, and several broken ribs.” Shallee’s eyes were tearing and a small tear tracked down her right cheek as she listened to Dr. Corder recite Martin’s injuries.  
“He has a concussion and has not regained consciousness yet. The breaks should heal fine. But we are concerned with the fact that he hasn’t regained consciousness yet.” Seeing the look of alarm reappear on Shallee’s face again, Dr. Corder took both of her hands in his long hands, squeezing reassuringly.  
“Mrs. Persner, this is not uncommon when someone has sustained a head injury. Martin’s head hit the windshield very hard, cracking it. The windshield. He has a very large goose egg on his forehead and will probably have two black eyes from this.” He smiled slightly, reassuringly. “But we do have to be a little concerned, you understand.” Shallee smiled slightly, trying to be positive.  
Dr. Corder continued. “I believe he will be fine. All of our tests indicate nothing amiss. But until he regains consciousness and we can test him, we won’t know for sure. I just want you to know this. To understand that he’s not out of the woods just yet, though it does look very good for him.”  
“You mean brain damage, don’t you,” Shallee said softly, her eyes delving Dr. Corder’s eyes for the slightest indication of deception.  
“Yes,” he said frankly. “Like I said, I believe he will be fine, but until he wakes up, we can’t know for sure.”  
“I want to see him,” Shallee said, standing up.  
Standing up, too, George stood beside Shallee, his hand on her elbow. “Doctor, we need to see him. And he needs to hear Sha-Natalia’s voice. Maybe it will help,” George finished.  
Standing up, Dr. Corder said, “You’re very right. It can’t hurt and it might help.” He motioned for them to follow him as he walked through two sliding doors and down a corridor.  
Shallee’s heart was in her throat as she followed the doctor. She was so scared and so hopeful at the same time. And she was shaking all over. She just wanted to see Martin. To touch him. To look at his face and tell him how much she loved him. To take his hand in hers and never let go!  
Dr. Corder led them into a dimly lighted room where a man she hardly recognized lay asleep. Unconscious.  
Releasing George’s hand, Shallee ran to the side of the bed and took Martin’s hand in hers, sobbing.  
“Oh Martin,” she choked, barely able to speak as she saw his poor battered and bruised face. He had several lacerations, but the bruising was horrific! Indeed, his eyes were already blackening and the “goose egg” on his forehead was huge! His left arm was in a cast across his abdomen and his casted leg was set above the sheets and uplifted.  
Bringing his right hand to her lips, she kissed the top of his hand then kissed each finger, tears dropping on his forearm as she did so.  
“Oh Martin,” she whispered. “Baby I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” She watched his face for any sign of his waking but saw no changes. “I love you so much! Oh baby I love you so much! Can you hear me at all? I need you to know how much I love you! I need you to know how sorry I am.” Her last words broke off in her throat, barely audible. Clutching Martin’s hand to her cheek, she softly wept.  
George watched, tearing up a little and fighting it. Their love story was so bizarre. And so beautiful. He hoped this would work out between them. They belonged together. Even he could see without even really knowing Shallee that she was a better woman than her sister could ever have dreamed of being. And he suspected Martin probably knew it. Even if he wasn’t ready to admit it yet.  
Dr. Corder placed a soft hand on Shallee’s shoulder. “Mrs. Persner?” Shallee looked up, eyes damp and bleak.  
“There’s a chair in the corner that is actually more comfortable than it looks.” Shallee glanced at a cushioned chair in the corner near the bedstand. It looked like a small recliner and had an ottoman.  
“It extends out so you can sleep in it. I can have someone bring you a blanket if you’d like.”  
“Yes,” Shallee said gratefully. “That would be lovely. Thank you Dr. Corder.” She got up and surprised him by hugging him tightly for a moment, then grasping his right hand in both of hers. “Thank you so much for everything.”  
Dr. Corder quietly left the room, nodding and smiling slightly at George as he left. He decided not to enforce the rules and have the friend leave. He was obviously moral support for Mrs. Persner and she probably needed all she could get. He could see the despair in her eyes. She was holding herself together by sheer will alone.

George was sitting in a chair beside Martin’s bed. He had taken Martin’s hand in his, feeling a little foolish. But he loved the man. Martin was his best friend. And he loved him.  
Shallee was sleeping in the recliner, wrapped in the blanket one of the nurses had brought. She had fallen asleep with her face on Martin’s hand and George had roused her enough to move her to the recliner and wrap her in the blanket. She had quickly fallen back asleep. The poor woman was emotionally and physically exhausted.  
Now George took up vigil by the bed, talking to Martin. He wondered if Martin could hear him in his unconsciousness and decided he didn’t care if he could or not. He had some things he needed to say to his friend and he would say them now.  
“I don’t know if you can hear me or not,” George began quietly. “But I just need to talk to you.” He cleared his throat lightly, feeling a little foolish. But he continued. “You’re my best friend and you know that. But you need to know that you’re the only friend I’ve ever had that I’ve ever actually loved. You’re like a brother.” He stopped. His throat was clogging with emotion and he had to take a breath in order to continue. “You see, very few people really matter to me. But you’re one of them. And dammit man, you better wake up and be okay! You just had better! I can’t do all this without you.” He stopped, glancing at the slumbering Shallee. “And you’ve got a really beautiful reason to wake up and get better, too. She’s here with me now. She’s been here. And I know you don’t want to admit it, but she’s the one.” George chuckled a little. “Remember how we used to always talk about “The One”? That one woman who was our perfect soulmate? Well, I haven’t found mine yet, but you have. And it was not Natalia. It never was. Natalia was simply the means to get you to The One. Your perfect soulmate is Shallee. And brother, I hope you realize and accept that sooner rather than later!” He laughed a little. “But you’re pretty fuckin stubborn, so maybe later, huh?” Sighing, George just sat there looking at the sleeping Shallee. “But you’re not stupid either and you’ll get it eventually.”  
George continued to talk to Martin. He talked about the album they were recording and their lives together as musicians. He talked about his latest girlfriend, Tellie, and how he hoped she might turn out to be The One for him. He was telling him about what an asshole their drummer was turning out to be when he felt movement under his hand and looked down at the hand he held. The fingers were moving a little. Shocked, George looked at Martin’s face and saw his friend’s eyelids fluttering a little, then slowly opening.  
Martin groaned lightly and slowly opened his eyes.  
“Hey man,” George said softly, seeing Shallee start to stir and wake up in the recliner.  
Throwing off the blanket and rising quickly, Shallee hurried over to Martin’s right side, grasping the hand that George had been holding and peering anxiously into Martin’s bleary but beautiful blue eyes.  
“Martin,” she said tentatively, gently stroking his bruised and battered face. Shallee didn’t even consider that Martin might still be angry with her, hating her. She just stroked his cheek and held his hand, crooning to him. But the look in Martin’s ever-awakening eyes was one of gentleness and gratitude. George slowly let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.  
A nurse hurried in, apparently alerted to Martin’s changed condition by the monitors at the nurses’ station. She shooed Shallee and George out of the way as she went to work. Martin’s eyes never left Shallee’s as she was gently ushered out of the room.

Martin only had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days. His injuries weren’t life threatening and Dr. Corder quickly determined there was no brain damage from his head injuries. Now, he just had a long recovery period as the breaks and bruises healed.  
George had suggested to Shallee that Martin stay with her for a few weeks since the drive from Atlanta to Nashville would be hard on him. But Martin had insisted that he wanted to be back home in his own bed. And at George’s protestations, he planned to hit the recording studio in the next week. He wouldn’t be able to play guitar, but he could certainly still sing. And they were behind schedule in recording.  
Shallee noticed the change in Martin as he recovered. While not angry any longer, he was reserved with her. The love both Shallee and George had seen in his eyes when he’d first regained consciousness had turned cautious and doubtful.  
It was obviously going to take time.  
But Shallee didn’t lose hope or heart. George could see that Martin’s quiet reserve with her hurt her, but she continued to be positive and love him as he watched her cautiously. George thought he could see a hope in Martin’s eyes as he regarded Shallee, but maybe that was wishful thinking. Still, George felt like it was moving in a good direction. The anger was gone at least.  
Shallee wasn’t accompanying George and Martin back to Nashville. She didn’t say anything about it one way or another. Neither did Martin. Shallee figured it was probably best to let Martin have some space at first. And she was probably right, George decided.  
George had pulled around the drop-off and pick-up drive in front of the hospital and waited with the car idling as an orderly wheeled Martin out in a wheelchair. The orderly got Martin situated in the front seat and went to close the door, but Shallee stopped him. She leaned in and placed a hand lovingly on Martin’s bruised left cheek and kissed him on his right cheek. Face close to his, she gazed into his blue eyes for a moment, holding back tears. Then she smiled and ducked back out of the car. Martin took her hand and squeezed it.  
“Will you be in Nashville soon?” he asked, still holding her hand.  
A thrill of hope surged through Shallee’s heart, but she kept her voice lovingly casual. “Of course!” She smiled at him and squeezed his hand.  
As she closed the door and waved, he waved back, his heart in his eyes. George smiled and waved at Shallee. They had exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch with each other. The ordeal with Martin had forged a bond of friendship between the two and they hoped to keep it going.  
George watched Martin out of the corner of his eye as they pulled away from the curb. Martin was watching Shallee in the side mirror.

But Shallee had been smart to stay away.  
Martin did spend time in the recording studio laying down the vocals, but they sent him home after that. Martin protested, wanting to be part of laying the tracks for his rhythm guitar parts even though he wasn’t playing. He wanted to give input and help where he could. But he was still weak and their manager quickly shooed him away and admonished him, reminding Martin that he wanted him fully recovered for going on tour after the album was released. And Martin relented, understanding the wisdom in it. This album was important. Their fan base had really grown with the last album and tour and internet response and monitoring suggested it was still growing. This album and tour were important.  
But in his convalescence from recording, Martin was home alone a lot, nearly going crazy. He needed to be part of the production of the new album dammit!  
So he started writing songs. His inspiration level was high for some reason. And as he wrote, playing the piano with his one good hand, he realized that the songs he was writing were about Shallee. Not Natalia.  
The speed with which he recovered from his wife’s death startled and dismayed him. And as he pondered it, he began to remember things. Things about Natalia that bothered him. Things that seemed somewhat unnatural and lacking.  
He had noticed that Natalia sometimes seemed to lack empathy with things that went on in the world – tragedies that affected most people but seemed to have little to no effect on Natalia. In fact, she seemed indifferent. He had always chalked it up to her having a healthy mentality about the tragedies of others, choosing not to allow suffering of people she didn’t know to steal her joy in life. But two years ago for her birthday, Martin had thrown her a party, inviting a lot of their friends, including Shallee who had driven up from Atlanta. One of the friends invited to the party had been in a horrible car accident and had inevitably died. Everyone at the party had been subdued with the tragedy. And Natalia had been furious! Not with the tragedy that had befallen a good friend. But with the fact that it had ruined her party. Martin remembered the ugly distaste that had filled him with her comments and had noticed the look on Shallee’s face as she had observed her twin in shock and revulsion. But Martin had dismissed it as the effects of alcohol - Natalia had gotten pretty lit that night. He figured Shallee had done the same. But he noticed that Shallee eyed Natalia cautiously for a while after that incident.  
Thinking about these things, Martin began to realize that his wife had been lacking something in her soul. Something that most people had that engendered empathy and sympathy for other humans suffering and in need. He wondered if Shallee had been the twin in receipt of the humanity portion of their personalities and Natalia merely a copy of the other woman.  
And of course, Martin constantly thought of Shallee. He knew he loved her. And the guilt that had overwhelmed him before was slowly diminishing. The more he pondered the differences between the two twins, the less guilty he felt. He knew he had loved Natalia very much. But he also knew that his love for Shallee went beyond anything he had ever felt for Natalia. Shallee was special. Natalia had merely been a shadow of her sister. And as sad as this made him feel, the more he needed Shallee.  
He picked up the phone to call her a dozen times and put it down each time. God he wanted her with him! He wanted to talk to her. About everything! He wanted to share his hopes and dreams with her, getting her unique insight and input. And he wanted to know about her hopes and dreams. Indeed, he wanted to know EVERYTHING about her.  
So he reread all her books. And realized yet again how sensitive and special she was. And he picked up the phone to call her.  
And this time, he hit the button to send the call.

It had been several weeks and Shallee hadn’t heard from Martin. She wanted so badly to call him. Needed to hear his voice. But she refrained. It was important to let him miss her. She knew he had let go of his anger. But she needed to give him a chance to let go of his guilt and his other misgivings. He was so important to her. He was everything to her! She must allow him the chance to discover his love for her in his own time. No matter how much time that took. And no matter how crazy she went in the waiting! Because she knew he would.  
She talked to George regularly, so she knew his healing was coming along well. And that he was stubborn about spending time in the recording studio. She smiled to herself thinking about him, knowing that his colleagues were having a hell of a time getting him to back off and build his strength.  
Shallee had started writing a new suspense romance novel. She was busy building the lead male character who looked suspiciously like Martin. She was smiling as she wrote when her cell phone rang. Looking down at the caller ID, she gasped when she saw it was Martin!  
With a trembling hand, she picked up the phone, taking a deep breath and releasing it.  
“Hello,” she answered cautiously.  
“Hi,” she heard Martin say, affection in his voice.  
“Hi,” she answered, the smile in her voice and the pleasure she was feeling at the sound of his voice.

“Where the fuck are you going?” George asked Martin, surprised and a little annoyed. They weren’t done with the tour planning – Meet and Greets, venues, expenses for lodging and buses, etc., etc.  
“It’s my anniversary,” Martin answered laughing, surprised. “Where the fuck do you think I’m going?”  
“Oh,” George responded, nonplussed. “I forgot. Sorry man.”  
Martin hurried out of their manager’s office without a backward glance. He was running late and he was due to pick up a dozen roses before he picked Shallee up at home.  
It wasn’t their marital anniversary. That would come later. First, he had to get a “yes” from her. And he planned on getting that tonight!  
Tonight was the one-year anniversary of their relationship, which they counted from the day he had first made love to her. Even though she had been pretending to be her sister, he had fallen in love with Shallee that day and considered that to be the anniversary date of their love. And it was the day he wanted to ask her to marry him.  
Martin drove home with the roses on the seat beside him and the little blue jeweler’s box with the diamond ring in his pocket. He was nervous, but not badly so. More giddy. He knew she would say yes, for he knew how much she loved him and wanted to be his wife.

Breathlessly rushing through the front door, roses in his right hand, Martin looked around, expecting to see Shallee beautifully dressed for their dinner out waiting for him.  
But she was nowhere to be seen.  
Martin went into the living room. Shallee wasn’t there.  
He glanced in the kitchen on his way to the stairs. Shallee wasn’t there.  
Taking the stairs two at a time, he rushed upstairs to their bedroom. Shallee wasn’t there either.  
He checked the bathroom but it was dark and he knew she wasn’t in there either.  
Rushing back downstairs, Martin called out her name and heard a faint, “Out here my love,” in a teasing, sex voice.  
Following that sweet voice, Martin made his way to the sliding glass doors leading to their private back porch. Sliding open the door, he stopped short at the sight before him!  
Shallee was stretched out on the chaise lounge. Completely nude. Except for the red ribbons.  
Red ribbon was tied around her waist and throat. Red ribbon was also binding her ankles together.  
Shallee was smiling at him, a mischievous tinkle in her eyes as she held out her hands which were also bound with red ribbons.  
“Untie me my love,” she whispered seductively, licking her upper lip lightly.  
Martin’s mouth fell open and he dropped the roses.  
“Oh how beautiful darling,” Shallee exclaimed as the roses hit the pavement. “For me?”  
“Uh,” Martin tried to say.  
“Untie me darling. Your gift awaits.” She smiled seductively again, holding out her bound hands to him.  
Martin walked to the chaise and knelt before her on one knee. Then, a look of mischief in his own eyes, he had an idea of his own.  
Kissing each of her bound hands, he reached in his pocket and took out the little blue box. Opening it, exposing the beautiful diamond ring inside, he said in a low voice barely above a whisper, “Shallee Garrison, my love, my heart, and the reason for my existence, will you marry me?”  
Shallee has known this was going to happen, but it still shook her. Tears shimmering in her eyes, she looked at the beautiful ring Martin had gotten and then into the more beautiful blue of his eyes, seeing the love and hope there.  
“Oh Martin,” she whispered and leaned into him, placing her red ribbon-bound hands on his chest and kissing him.  
Placing the box with the ring beside the chaise lounge, Martin returned Shallee’s kiss, untying her hands as he did so. Free from her bindings, Shallee’s hands roamed Martin’s body – first his chest and then over his belly, slowly making their way to his pants where her hands gently caressed the raging bulge in his slacks.  
Groaning, Martin stood up and shed his clothes quickly, wanting to be as naked as the beautiful woman before him.  
Laying gently on top of her, Martin kissed her deeply, delving his tongue into her mouth and seeking the sweet taste of her tongue as she twined her tongue with his, delving deeply into his mouth.  
Touching his chest and gently stroking in circles, Shallee made her way to Martin’s groin, gripping his pulsing cock in her hand and slowly sliding her hand up and down his length, fingering his foreskin as she stroked.  
Pulling back from the kiss, Martin latched his lips onto her neck, suckling the skin behind her ear and slowly training his way down her throat to her chest and breasts. As his lips found first one nipple and then the other, Shallee gasped as he sucked and nibbled on her breasts, bringing them hard little nubbins and driving her crazy with lust!  
She continued to stroke his cock as he suckled her breasts. Their breathing was getting faster and more frantic as their desire and lust grew.  
Martin’s hand slid slowly down Shallee’s belly, feeling her skin spasm with each of his light feather touches. She was moaning loudly and panting his name, needing him to touch her center. Chuckling low, Martin slowly made his way to her pussy, taking his sweet time as he caressed every inch of her skin between her breasts and her pussy.  
He finally got there, but Shallee giggled. Martin looked up with a surprised little smile.  
“I wanna spread my legs wide for your baby,” Shallee said coquettishly. “But you’re going to have to untie me first.” Her eyes danced as she giggled.  
“Oh hell!” Martin exclaimed, laughing. God he loved her! She was always so full of sweet surprises!  
Turning in the classic 69 position, Martin raised up over her, knowing what she wanted.  
Pulling him over her face, Shallee took Martin’s huge cock in her mouth, sliding her tongue down the length of him and sucking, sucking. Sliding up his shaft, she caressed his foreskin with her tongue, probing over and around it, eliciting a loud moan from Martin. Then she took him back into her mouth fully again and slid down his length. As she slid back up, she sucked hard, the slid back down. Then back up, sucking hard. Over and over and over.  
Martin could barely stand it! Her mouth sucking him and caressing him with her tongue – he was going to cum soon!  
He was licking the cleft of her bare pussy and stroking her thighs, slowly sliding his hands down her lovely legs to the bindings that held them together. Frantic now with passion and lust, he hurriedly untied her legs from the red ribbons, nearly screaming when the knot stuck for a moment.  
But as soon as her legs were free, Shallee spread them wide for Martin and he delved his tongue deep into her pussy, sliding his tongue around her center, fingering her clitoris with his thumb.  
Shallee came immediately, yelling out his name, “Martin!” and arching her hips to his caressing lips and tongue.  
Moaning, Martin reveled in the feel of her lips and tongue on his throbbing cock. But he was going to cum any second if she kept it up.  
Raising up from her sweet pussy, Martin pulled his cock from her loving mouth and maneuvered around on top of her, face to face.  
Looking into her eyes, he said, “Is that a yes?”  
Eyes twinkling, Shallee wrapped her arms around this man she loved so much and said, “It was my love. It was!”  
Martin slid his cock deep inside of her, feeling her muscles squeeze and wrap themselves around his throbbing manhood.  
They rocked together back and forth and as they climaxed, Martin buried his face in Shallee’s neck, crying out, “Oh baby, Oh God baby I love you so much!”  
Tears of joy on her cheeks as she climaxed, Shallee held her man tight as she whispered, “I love you too Martin, I love you too!”


End file.
